Pivoted charging subchute for concrete mixers



April 9, 1929. c. F. BALL 1,703,647

PIVOTED CHARGING SUBCHUTE FOR CONCRETE MIXER-5 Filed June 1927 g voenton' Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

v UNITED STATES 1,708,647 PATENT OFFICE.

'oHAn-Lns n. BALL, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, nssio von ro seam BELT ooMPAnY, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION or wrsconsrn.

PIVOTED c'rznnsrne SUBCI-IUZE ron oonennrn iurxnns.

Application filed June 1, 1927. Serial No. 195,740.

This invention relates to charging devices for concrete mixing machines and similar ap paratus, and consists particularly in a pivoted sub-chute, that is to say, a chute or spout that is interposed betweenthe delivery opening into the mixing drum and the discharge lip or spout of the charging skip, when the latter is moved into position to deliver its charge to the mixing drum.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrative of my in vention, as applied to a concrete mixer of well known construction, part of the mixing drum being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken .on the line IIII of Fig. 1.

It will be understood that many of the parts of a concrete mixing apparatus to which my invention is applied are not illustrated in the drawings, as the particular details of such machine may be varied within wide range without affecting the principle of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the supporting framework of a concrete mixing 7 machine, the front end only of which is shown. 3 indicates the drum of such machine and 4. the loading skip therefor. The latter is represented as being provided with a pair of pivoting arms ll through which pass the shaft 5 constituting an element of the pivotal support for the loading skip. rectly in front of the charging opening into the drum, and supported by the framework in close relation thereto, is the front shield 6 which is very commonly employed in machines of the character illustrated. Through V such shield is formed a charging openingthat registers with a charging opening into the drum. Y

It has heretofore been common practice to secure to the-shield 6a short spout or chute for directing the material from the delivery end of the skip 4c into the drum. .This subchute has heretofore necessarily been quite short, in order notto interfere with the nose or delivery end of the charging skip, which travels in the are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. It has also been found necessary to support each sub-chute at an angle considerably less than that assumed by the charging skip when in the act of delivering to the drum, with the result that the material deliveredwill not always slide freely from the sub-chute but'will tend to collect therein,

making it necessary that a workman should frequently clear the sub-chute manually of material lodged therein. One of the purposes of my invention is to permit the use of a longer sub-chute than it has heretofore been practical to employ, and one which is adjustable, so that it may be caused to assume a very steep or sharp angle of inclination insuring freedelivery of the material'that might otherwise tend to lodge therein.

Referring again to the drawings, 8 indicates a sub-chute made according to my present invention. ,This is pivotally supported, being connected with the front shield 6 bv a pivot shaft 9.

I The'pivoting arms of the loading skip are extended beyond the pivot shaft 5 to form heel extensions 10 in the ends ofwhich is supporteda cross shaft 12. A. link 13 connects the shaft 12 and the pivoted sub-chute.

On either side of the sub-chute are stationary wings 14, between which the chute lies when moved to its uppermost position, and between which the skip lies when in its chargmg position. v

indicates the cables by which the skip is operated in a well knownmanner. hen the loading skip is in its lowered position, resting upon the ground to receive its charge, as represented in full lines in Fig. l, the subchute is held, by the link 13, in its raised position, lying between the stationary wings 14, with its inner end extending well into the mixing drum, and having its bottom inclined at so steep an angle that any material, which may have been delivered to such chute, will slide over the bottom and into the drum. As the skip is elevated into charging position the sub-chute is lowered, through its connection wtih the heel extensions of the pivoting arms of the skip, until the sub-chute assumes the position shown in dotted lines when the skip is raised to its highest position and discharges its load. It will be seen that the subchute now extends well under the nose or spout end of the skip, lapping the same for a considerable distance, and that its angle of inclination is much less than that which it had when in the position first described. It will be seen from a comparison of the two positions of the sub-chute indicated in the drawing that the length of the sub-chute, that is of the bottom portion thereof, is con siderably greater than could be a stationary chute that occupied the angular position repoccupies a steep inclined position during the While I have illustrated and described my present invention 1n connectaon with aconresented in' full lines. The drawing shows that the are followed by the nose of the loading skip cuts the bottom of the sub 'chute when in its upper position some considerable distance below itsrear end The sub-chute time that the skip is down for loading w ith the result, as has been stated, thatmaterial, that might have lodged and remainedon the bottom of the chute had it continued in the position indicateolin dotted lines, will slide into'the mixing drum. Further, by wormsin}; the length of the bottom portion of the sub-chute, made possible by the arrangementdescribed, such chute serves to prevent the material being mixed in the drum from splashing out through the charging opening,

in-a' much more effective manner than when a sh orter'and less inclined sub-chute is'employedas has heretofore been customary.

'cr'ete inixing'machine, I wish it to be understood that such invention is not limited in its useful applications to the particular arrangement shown or used'in connection with the particular type of machines illustrated.

lVhat I claim is: l

1.- The combination with a receptacle pro vided'with anopening through which it may be charged, of a'loading skip arranged to be moved from a position to receive its charge to a position to deliver the sameintothe receptacle through the charging opening, means serving as a chute through which the material delivered from'the loading skip is directed through the charging opening into the receptacle supported soas to be moved nto a position to cover the charging opening, such means when in said POSltlODEbGlng 1n the c path of movement of the loadingskip, and

, meansfor moving the first said 'meansinto' the coverin osition when the ski 3 is in nonr V V delivery position, and for movlng itout of the .wayof'the skip when the latter is moved to delivery position. v v

2.1The combination of a receptacle provided with an opening through which it may c obe charged, of aloading skip'arranged to deliver through the said charging opening,

' means serving as an intermediate chute between the loadingskip when in delivery position and the saidreceptacle supported so as when in covering position and between which to be moved into a position to cover the charg ing opening, means for moving the first said means into the covering position'when the skip is in non-delivery position and into position to deliver material from the loading skip throughthe charging opening when the skip is in delivery posit-ion, and wings between which the coveringmeans is located the end of the charging skip lies when it is I in delivery position. 7

The combination with a receptacle probetween the sub chute and the vided withan opening through which it may be "charged,"of a pivotallysupported loading skip arranged to deliver. through the said charging opening, a sub-chute supported on a pivot'remote tro'mthepivot of the loading skip so as to be moved into a position to serve as'a chute intermediate the skip and the re ceptacle when the skip is in its delivery position, and means for moving the sub-chute into the said intermediate position as the skip comes to delivery position.

The combination with a receptacle pro- "vided with an opening through which it may be charged, of a pivoted loading skip arranged to deliver throughthe said charging opening, a pivoted sub-chute arranged to oc: cupy a position between the loading skip and the receptacle and to serve as an intermediate delivery chute between these parts, the subchute being-also arranged to be nioved into a position to cover the charging opening, and

means for moving the sub-chute into'the covering position when the'skip is in nondelivery position, and into the intermediate position to serve as a delivery chute when the skip-is in delivery position, the pivotal supports of the loading skip and the sub-chute being non-coaxial.

5. The combination'with a receptacle provided with an open ng through which it may :be charged, of a loading skip arranged to deliver through the said charging opening, the skip being it is pivotally supported, the arms being continued beyond the pivot to formheel extensions, a sub-chute occupying an intermediate position between the end of the charging skip and thereceptacle when the former is in delivery position, and connections between the said heel extensions of the pivoting arms of the skip and the sub-chute, whereby the latter is moved into operative positions as the skip is moved. v 1

i 6. The combination with a receptacle to be charged, of a loading skip arranged to deliver .to the receptacle, a sub-chute pivotally "supported near the receptacle and connections loading skip whereby-the sub-chute is moved as the skip is moved, the sub-chute being arranged to be moved into a position covering the charging opening into the receptacle when the loading skip is in its non-delivery position, the subprovided with arms by which chutewhen in this position being located in vided with an opening through which it may be charged and apivoted charging skip therefor, of an independently pivoted subof a pivoted sub-chute arranged to occupy a position between the receptacle and the skip, and means controlled by the movements of the skip for moving the sub-chute into an intermediate inclined position between the skip and the receptacle to serve as a chute for the material delivered from the skip when the latter is moved to delivery position, and for moving the sub-chute to a steeper inclination as the skip is lowered to its charging position.

9. The combination with a receptacle provided at one end with a charging opening and a loading skip therefor, of a plate or shield supported close to and in front of the charging end of the receptacle and formed with an opening registering with the charging opening into the receptacle, a sub-chute pivoted to the said plate and extending through the said openings into the receptacle, and connections through which the sub-chute is operated from the loading skip, the chute being arranged to occupy an intermediate position between the receptacle and the end of the skip when the latter is in its raised position to discharge, and a different and more sharply inclined position when the skip is lowered for loading.

10. The combination of a receptacle formed with a charging opening, a loading skip having arms through which the skip is pivotally supported, the arms being extended to form heel extensions, a shield through which is an opening registering with the charging opening of the receptacle, supported close to the charging end of the receptacle, a subchute pivotally connected with the shield and having one end extending through the said openings into the receptacle and its other end extending outwardly so the sub-chute may occupy an intermediate position between the skip and the receptacle, a linkconnection between the sub-chute and the heel extensions of the pivot arms carried by the loading skip and stationary wings carried by the shield on opposite sides of the opening through the same, the said parts operating as described.

11. The combination with a receptacle formed with a charging opening, of a loading skip supported upon one pivot and arranged when elevated to deliver material by gravity to the receptacle, a sub-chute supported upon another pivot and arranged to bridge the space between the end of the loading skip and the charging opening into the receptacle when the skip is elevated, and to occupy a position in the path of the discharge end of the loading skip and between such end and the delivery opening when the loading skip is lowered to receive its charge, and means between the charging skip and the sub-chute whereby the latter is moved to occupy the positions stated as the loading skip moves from charging to discharging position and return.

12. The combination with a receptacle, of a loading skip therefor and a movable subchute arranged to occupy a position between the delivery end of the loading skip and the receptacle when the skip is raised to discharge its load by gravity, and means arranged to increase the delivery angle of the chute after the skip has delivered its load whereby residual material that may remain in the sub-chute is caused to flow into the receptacle by gravity.

CHARLES, F. BALL. 

